Separator for underfired domestic water heaters



Aug. 16, 1938. c. H. MORROW 2,126,969

SEPARATOR FOR UNDERF'IRED DOMESTIC WATER HEATERS Filed Sept. 24, 1954FIG-I m9? ix \5 INVENTOR CLARENCE H. MORRQW w/ya q A TTORNE Y5 PatentedAug. 16, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEPARATOR FOR UND-ERFIREDDOMESTIC WATER HEATERS Clarence H. Morrow, Shaker Heights, Ohio, as-

signor to The Hotstream Heater Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporationof Ohio 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in domestic water heaters of theunderfired type, the invention having for its general object theincreasing of the efficiency of such a heater by the as here shown, thetank is supported on suitable legs l2 and the burner chamber base memberis provided with a suitably sized secondary air in- :5 addition theretoof what is here termed a comlet opening l3. 6 bustion separator.Although the burner 4 may be an oil burner, it More particularly, thepresent invention relates is here shown as a gas burner, 'being suitablyto an underfired domestic water heater in which mounted on the inner endof a lateral feed tube the burner thereof has associated therewith theI4 extending through and supported by the tank present combustionseparator, the function of side wall I, the enlarged outer end of saidfeedlO which is to prevent the products of combustion tube beingprovided with the usual shutter-conproduced by said burner from mixingwith the trolled primary air openings (not shown) and secondary airbelow the burner. As a result, the having suitably secured thereto a gasinlet conefiiciency of the burner, and hence of the heater, duit I5, theflow of gas through which is conis greatly increased, with very littlechange in the trolled by a suitable valve I6. 15 construction cost ofthe heater. To increase the efficiency of the burner 4, and

A further feature of the present combustion hence of the heater, thepresent combustion sepaseparator is the condensation-confining flangerator is suitably associated with said burner, the thereof, the effectof which is to maintain in the function of said separator being toprevent the products of combustion zone above the burner, products ofcombustion produced by said burner 20 for reevaporation, anycondensation which may from mixing with the secondary air below theoccur therein. burner. The combustion separator here shown is Otherfeatures and advantages of the present a simple metal member l8 ofplate-like form discombustion separator are in part obvious and in posedhorizontally just above said burner and part will appear more in detailhereinafter. having a suitable opening 19 in alignment there- 25 In theaccompanying drawing, in which one with and corresponding thereto insize. As a reembodiment of the present invention is illussult of saidseparator, the chamber 3 is divided trated, Fig. 1 is a verticalsectional view of the into an upper products of combustion. compartlowerportion of a typical domestic water heater ment and a lower secondaryair compartment,

of the underfired type, saidheater having assoas clearly shown inFig. 1. 30 ciated with the burner thereof the present com- Although anysuitable means may be utilized bustion separator; and Fig. 2 is across-sectional to maintain said combustion separator in proper view ofsaid heater just above the combustion association with said burner, thepresent comseparator thereof, the view being on the line 2--2 bustionseparator is bolted or otherwise suitably of Fig, 1. secured to inwardlyextending flanges 20 with 35 Referring to said drawing, l indicates thecywhich the brackets I are provided at their upper lindrical insulatedside wall of the water tank ends. of the heater, the concave bottom wall2 of which By the use of the present combustion sepais arranged abovethe lower end of said side wall rator, the products of combustionproduced by so as to form within said side wall and below said theburner 4 within the upper compartment of 40 bottom wall a chamber 3 fora burner 4, the chamber 3 are effectively prevented from mixing bottomof said chamber being closed by a suitwith the secondary air below saidburner in the able metal base member 5 bolted or otherwise lowercompartment of said chamber. Asaresult, suitably secured to inwardlyextending flanges B improper, inefiicient combustion, due to circulaonthe lower ends of a pair of opposed brackets tion of burned gases aroundand through the 45 1, the intermediate portions of which are boltedburner, is effectively eliminated. Moreover, said or otherwise suitablysecured, at 8, to the tank combustion separator aids in directing to theside wall I. Extending upwardly from the tank burner, for combustionpurposes, the secondary bottom wall 2, in communication with the burnerair therefor, the amount of which secondary air chamber 3 therebelow, isa suitable flue pipe 9 is controlled by the size of the secondary air 50for carrying away the burned gases or products opening l3 in the basemember 5. The efiiciency of combustion produced by the burner 4, andexof the burner, and hence of the heater, is theretending down into thetank and terminating adfore materially increased, with but slight changejacent the bottom wall 2 thereof is the usual cold in the constructioncost of the heater.

' water supply pipe 10, the hot water delivery pipe In order to confinewithin the products of 1. In an underfired domestic Water heater, a

container for the water to be heated, wall means providing asubstantially closed chamber below Y said container, a burner in saidchamber, and a transversely disposed separator in said chamber adjacentsaid burner and provided with an opening therefor, said separatorseparating said chamber into a products of combustion compartment abovesaid burner and a secondary air compartment below said burner, said wallmeans being provided with a secondary air inlet, the

cross-dimensional size of which is materially less than that of saidchamber.

2. In an underfired domestic water heater, a container for the Water tobe heated, wall means providing a substantially closed chamber belowsaid container, inlet means outside of said chamber for supplyingprimary air to said burner, and

a transversely disposed separator in said chamber adjacent said burnerand provided with an opening therefor, said separator separating saidchamber into a products of combustion compartment above said burner anda secondary air compartment below said burner, said wall means beingprovided with a secondary air inlet, the cross-dimensional size of whichis materially less than that of said chamber. F

3. In an underfired domestic water heater, a container for the water tobeheated, Wall means providing a substantially closed chamber below saidcontainer, a burner in said chamber, and a transversely disposedseparator in said chamber just above said burner and provided with anopening therefor, said separator separating said chamber into a productsof combustion compartment above said burner and a secondary aircompartment below said burner, said wall means being provided with asecondary air inlet, the cross-dimensional size of which is materiallyless than that of said chamber, the opening in said separator being ofsubstantially the same crossdimensional size as that of said burner andsaid separator being provided at the edge of said opening with anupwardly and inwardly extending flange, said flange serving not only toconfine in said products of combustion compartment any condensate onsaid separator but also serving to direct inwardly and upwardly oversaid burner the secondary air passing through said separator openingfrom said secondary air compartment.

CLARENCE H. MORROW.

